Quick take-up mechanism



Jan. 10, 1939. R. J. OLANDER- QUICK TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Oct. 26, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 10, 1939. J LANDER- 2,143,164

QUICK TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed Oct. 26', 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QUICK TAKE -UP MECHANISM Roland J. Olander, Chicago, Ill., assignor to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to improvements in quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes.

One object of the invention is to provide a quick take-up mechanism for power multiplying hand 5 brakes for cars, comprising simple, eflicient and rugged means for quickly taking up the slack in the brake mechanism during initial operation in applying the brakes, wherein the full effect of the power multiplication of the operating mechanism is transmitted to the brake mechanism of the car during final application of the brakes.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for transmitting motion from the winding mechanism of a power multiplying hand brake to the usual chain leading to the brake mechanism proper of the car, including a quick take-up lever means supported from the car, confined to swinging movement with respect to the other parts of the motion transmitting means during the initial operation of the power multiplying brake mechanism to quickly take up the slack in the brake chain and arranged to move bodily as a unit with the motion transmitting means when the slack has been taken up to transmit the full efiect of the power multiplication of the brake mechanism.

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal, sectional view through the end portion of a railway car. illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, said view being partly broken. Figure 2 is a vertical, sectional view, on an enlarged scale, a of the improved quick take-up mechanism shown in Figure l, the section corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 3. Figure 3 is an elevational view, looking from right to left to Figure 2, but showing the parts in different positions.

In said drawings, in indicates the end portion of a railway car, having a vertical end wall on which is mounted the usual platform l2 for the brakeman. The end sill of the caris indicated by I3.

My improved quick take-up means is herein illustrated in connection with a power multiplying hand brake mechanism A of well-known type, comprising a worm driven winding element for the chain as shown in Patents Nos. 1,974,581 and 1,854,804 granted to me. The chain winding element and associated mechanism of the hand brake A are contained in a housing l4 secured to the end wall of the car and said mechanism is actuated by the usual hand wheel 15, as disclosed in the patents hereinbefore referred to. The worm operated actuating means is con nected to the winding element by a lever operated in Figure 2. Figures 4; and are views similar clutch means. In the brake illustrated herein, the clutch operating lever is indicated by IS. The winding element of the power multiplying brake mechanism A has a chain section ll connected thereto, said section being wound on said element when the hand wheel- I5 is rotated in brake tightening direction and being unwound therefrom when the hand wheel is rotated in a reverse direction. Motion of the chain I1 is transmitted to the chain section l8 leading to the brake mechanism proper of the car, through my improved take-up mechanism.

My improved take-up mechanism comprises broadly, a combined supporting and guide bracket B; a swinging chain guide member C pivotally supported on said bracket; a quick take-up lever device D which is in the form of an arm swingingly supported from the swinging guide member C; and a link E connecting the lever device D to the chain leading to the winding mechanism of the brake.

The combined supporting and guide bracket B is of substantially channel-shaped transverse cross-section, as shown most clearly in Figure 3, having spaced side members 20 in the form of plates, connected by a transverse top web 2|. The bracket B is supported from the bottom of the car and is fixed to the bottom flange of the end sill l3 by rivets or any other equivalent securing elements, extending through the web 2| and said flange of the sill I3. The web 2| projects outwardly beyond the sill, as clearly shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4, said projecting portion, which is indicated by 22, being upwardly inclined to provide a maximum amount of clearance for the upward swinging movement of the swinging guide member 0. The side members 20-20 are of the outline shown in Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5, and the section 22 of the web 2| terminates inwardly of the outer edges of said side members to provide clearance for the link E. The outer edges of the side members 2lJ-2ll of the bracket B are arcuate, as shown, and each member 20 is provided with a laterally, outwardly projecting, arcuate flange 23 having its curved outer surface aligned with the curved edge of the member, thereby providing an arcuate guide face 24. The guide faces 24-44 of the two members 20--20 form, in effect, fixed cam means or spaced track elements which serve to guide the movement of the quick take-up device or lever D. The lower ends of the flanges 23-43 provide abutments or fixed abutment means, adapted to be engaged by the lever arm or lever means D. The said lower ends of the flanges 23-23 are rounded, as shown, to present fulcrum members 25-25 on which the member D may rock, said fulcrum members forming in effect continuations of the fixed cam means.

The swinging chain guide C is of sector-shaped outline and has an enlarged bearing portion 26 provided with a transverse opening to receive a pivot member. The chain guide 0 is swingingly supported by a pivot pin 21 extending through web 29. The main body portion of the'guide C isextended to the right, as viewed in Figures 2, 4,

and 5, thereby presenting an arm 30 which extends a greater distance from the pivotal axis of the member C than the guide groove 28. The arm portion 38 and the main body portion of the member C are reenforced by flanges 3 I-3l at opposite sides of the member C extending from the bearing 26 to a point near the outer end of the arm 33. The extremity of the arm 30 is enlarged and forked, as indicated at 32, to receive the lower end of the link E.

The quick take-up lever device or lever arm D is in the form of a casting having spaced side arms 33-33 terminating in fingers 34-34, the side arms being joined by a transverse arcuate web 35. Each side arm 33 is provided with a pivot pin-receiving opening 36, reenforced by a boss 3! on the inner side of the arm. The arms 33-33 straddle the forked portion 32 of the member C with the bosses 37-31 engaging opposite sides of said forked portion. A pivot pin 38 ex tending through aligned openings in said forked portion 32 of the member and the bosses 31-31 of the arms 33-33 of the member'Dserves to pivotally mount the member D on the guide member C. The pin 38 also serves to connect the lower end of the link E to the guide member C and the take-up member D, said pin extending through the lower end of the link E which is embraced between the arms of the forked portion 32. At the opposite end with respect to the pivot 38, the member D is provided with spaced ears 39-39 receiving the end link of the chain l8 therebetween. An anchoring pin 40 extending through the ears 39-39 and said end link connects the chain I8 to the take-up member C. The fingers 34-34 of the quick take-up member C are of identical design. Each finger has the outer end thereof beveled, as indicated at 4|, for a purpose hereinafter pointed out. Each finger 34 together with the adjacent edge portion of the corresponding side arm 33 forms, in effect, a cam member adapted to cooperate with the fixed cam means of the bracket B.

The upper end of the link E is connected to the chain IT by a pin 42 extending through the end link of the chain I! and the upper end of the link E, which is forked, as indicated at 43, to accommodate said end link.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 show the position of my improved quick take-up mechanism with the brakes released. As will be seen upon reference to Figures 2 and 3, sufiicient clearance is provided between the side members 20-20 of the bracket B to permit the arm 30 of the swinging chain guide member C to move freely therebetween when the quick take-up lever member D permits of such movement. In Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that the fingers 34-34 of the quick tak-up lever D are engaged in back of the guide flanges 23-23 of the bracket B, and the upper edges of the side arms 33-33 are in bearing engagement with the rounded ends 25-25 of the fianges 24-24.

In the operation of applying the brakes, the chain I1 is forcibly pulled upwardly by the power multiplying means of the brake mechanism A. During the initial upward pulling action, the quick take-up lever member D will be rocked or cam on the rounded cam portions or ends 25 of the flanges 24 of the member B through the upward pulling action of the link E, thereby effectink a rapid swinging movement of the member D in a contra-clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2. During this action, the lever arm 30 and the chain guide member C will also be moved very slightly, that is, to an extent corresponding to the upward movement of the chain I1. However, due to the swinging movement of the member D on the fulcrum members 25-25, the end of the member D which is connected to the chain l8 will be displaced a distance many times greater than. the upward displacement of the chain ll, thereby effecting exceedingly rapid take-up of the chain l8. The rapid take-up continues as the lever D cams on the bracket B until the parts reach substantially the position shown in Figure 4, and the beveled ends 41-4! of the fingers 33-34 of the take-up member D have slid 01f of the fulcrum members 25-25 and are in engagement with the outer curved guide surfaces or cam faces 24-24 of the bracket B. As will be evident during movement of the parts from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 4, the rate of quick take-up will gradually decrease after the lever member D has been rocked a sufiicient distance to permit sliding movement of the fingers 34-34 on the fulcrum projections 25-25, and until the beveled ends 4l-4I of the fingers clear the fulcrum projections 25-25 as shown in Figure 4. During further upward pulling action of the chain H, the beveled ends 4I-4l of the fingers 34-34 ride on the arcuate guide faces 24-24 of the bracket B, thus preventing further rocking of the take-up member D with respect to the swinging chain guide member C, and causing movement of the chain l8 at the same rate as the chain l 1, thereby transmitting the full effect of the power multiplication of the hand operated mechanism A to the brake chain [8 and the brake mechanism proper of the car until the brakes have been fully applied. Under normal conditions this last named movement will be rather limited as my improved quick take-up mechanism serves to take-up 'substantially all of the slack during its swinging movement. However, if under exceptionally unusual conditions additional movement of the chain 18 is required to fully set the brakes,'due to the existence of excessive slack in the mechanism, the parts may be swung considerably beyond the amount required to fully set the brakes under normal conditions, the limit of movement of the parts not being reached until they assume the position shown in Figure 5, wherein the arm 30 of the swinging guide member C is shown in abutment with the section 22 of the web of the bracket B. In this connection, it is pointed out that the maximum amount of movement permitted, as shown in Figure 5, is far in excess of that required to meet the most abnormal and unusual conditions which are actually encountered in railway practice.

When the brakes are released by the chain I! being unwound from the winding mechanism of the hand brake A, the chain guide member C swings in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 4 and 5, and the quick take-up lever device D slides along the guide faces 24-24 of the bracket B by engagement of the fingers 34-34 with said guide faces until the parts again reach the position shown in Figure 4, whereupon the fingers 34-34 become free to cam about the rounded lower end edges 2525 of the flanges 23-23, permitting the take up device D, which is subjected to the pull of the chain l8 to swing to the position shown in Figure 2.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes for cars, the combination with a pulling element; of a motion transmitting element; a swinging member mounted on the car; means connecting said swinging member to the pulling element; a quick take-up lever member pivoted at its inner end on said swinging member outwardly of the pivot of the latter and having the motion transmitting element connected to the outer end thereof; fixed abutment means on the car in the path of movement of said lever engageable with said lever between the ends of the latter adjacent the pivot of the latter to swing said lever in a direction to exert a pull on said motion transmitting element during a period of movement of said swinging member when actuated by pulling action of said pulling element; and arcuate fixed guide means concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the swinging member, engageable by said lever during another period of swinging movement of said swinging member to hold said lever against swinging movement in a reverse direction with respect to said swinging member.

2. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes for cars, the combination with a flexible element for actuating the brake mechanism of a car; of a swinging guide member pivotally supported from the bottom of the car and cooperating with said flexible element; means connected to said member for transmitting the power to said member to swing the latter outwardly when the brakes are being applied; a quick take-up lever pivoted at its inner end on said member eccentric to the pivotal axis of said member and having said flexible element connected to the outer end thereof; a fixed guide bracket on the car having a curved guideway concentric with said pivotal axis of said member and inwardly of the path of movement of the pivot point of said lever on said member, said lever being engageable with said guideway for holding the lever against swinging movement in an inward direction; and abutment means on said bracket at the lower end thereof in the path of movement of said lever, engageable by said lever and providing a fulcrum therefor.

3. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes of the pull-up type, the combination with a flexible element leading to the brake mechanism of the car; of a support on the bottom of the car; a guide member swingingly mounted on said support, said member having a curved guide surface thereon for said flexible member; a fixed cam on said support, said cam having an arcuate guide surface concentric with the pivotal axis of said member; a pull-up element; means connecting said pull-up element to said member to swing the latter when the brakes are operated; a lever swingingly supported on said member at a point remote from the pivot of the latter and having the flexible element anchored to the same at a point remote from the pivotal connection thereof with said swinging member; an abutment on said support forming a continuation of said fixed cam; and a fixed projecting finger on said lever closely adjacent the pivot of the latter, said finger having cam engagement with said abutment and said arcuate guide surface of the support to initially swing the lever with respect to said swinging member in a direction to effect a pulling action on said flexible element and to arrest swing movement of the lever in a reverse direction.

4. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes of the pull-up type, the combination with a flexible element leading to the brake mechanism of the car; of a guide member swingingly supported from the bottom of the car; a curved guide surface on said member spaced from the axis of swinging movement thereof for guiding the flexible element; a fixed guide bracket on the bottom of the car having a downwardly extending, arcuate guide spaced a greater distance from said axis of said member than the curved guide surface thereof, said arcuate guide surface being concentric with the axis of swinging movement of said member; a fixed radial arm on said swinging member projecting outwardly therefrom beyond said curved guide surface of the bracket; a lever pivotally connected at its inner end to said arm and having the flexible element anchored to the outer end thereof, said pivotal connection being spaced a greater distance from the pivotal axis of the swinging member than the guide of the bracket; a fulcrum abutment at the lower end of said guide surface of said bracket; and a lateral projection on the side of said lever facing the axis of swinging movement of the guide member engageable with said abutment to rock said lever and bring said projection into engagement with said guide to hold said outer end thereof against swinging movement inwardly toward the axis of swinging movement of said guide member.

5. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes for cars, the combination with a pull-up member; of a longitudinally movable, flexible, motion transmitting element beneath the car; a depending swinging member pivotally suspended from the bottom of the car, said pull-up member being connected to said swinging member to swing the latter outwardly of the car when a pull is exerted on said pull-up member; a lever pivoted on said swinging member outwardly of the pivot of the latter and having the motion transmitting element connected to the same at a point remote from the pivot thereof; fixed abutment means on the car, said lever adjacent the pivotal connection thereof with said swinging member fulcruming on said abutment, during movement of the same with said swinging member in a direction away from the end of the car to rock said lever in one direction to exert pulling force on said motion transmitting element during initial pull-up action of said pull-up member; and means for holding said lever against movement in a direction reverse to said aforesaid direction during the remainder of said pull-up action of the pull-up member.

6. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination with a swinging member having an elongated guide surface remote from its axis of swinging movement; of a lever rotatably mounted on a pivot on said member at a point remote from the pivotal axis of said member and adjacent one end of said guide surface; a flexible motion transmitting element connected to said lever remote from the pivot thereof and extending from said lever in underlying relation to said elongated guide surface to be wound thereon when said swinging member is rocked in a direction to exert a pulling actionon said motion transmitting element; means for rocking said swinging member in said direction; means for rotating said lever with respect to said swinging member in a direction to exert a pulling action on said flexible element as said member is swung in said direction to effect movement of said flexible element lengthwise of said guide surface and bring the same into engagement with said surface; and means for holding said lever against rotary movement with respect to said swinging member in a reverse direction after said flexible element has been brought into engagement with said guide surface to effect winding of said flexible element on said surface as said swinging member continues to swing in said direction.

'7. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes of cars, the combination with a depending swinging member pivotally suspended from the bottom of the car and having an arm extending beyond the end of the car; of a vertical pull-up member at the end of the car connected to the outer end of said arm to swing the same upwardly when upward pulling action is exerted by said pull-up member; a lever pivotally supported on said arm at the outer end thereof; a flexible motion transmitting element connected at one end to said arm at a point remote from the pivot thereof and extending horizontally inwardly of the car and connected to the brake mechanism of the car; a winding surface on said swinging member overlying said horizontally disposed flexible element; and fixed cam means on the car cooperating Wtih said lever to initially rock the latter with respect to said swinging member in a direction to exert a pulling action on said flexible element to move the same with respect to said swinging member and subsequently lock said lever against rotation in a reverse direction with respect to said swinging member to hold said flexible element against movement with respect to said swinging member and effect winding of the flexible element on the winding surface of said swinging member.

8. In a quick take-up mechanism, the combination with a pivoted swinging member having a chain winding guide surface thereon remote from the pivotal axis thereof; of a lever arm pivoted on said member remote from the pivotal axis thereof a flexible power transmitting element connected to said arm remote from the pivotal axis thereof; means for imparting swinging movement to said member in a direction to exert pulling force on said flexible element to effect take-up thereof; and means for rocking said arm with respect to said swinging member in a direction to increase the take-up of said element during movement of said flexible element in said direction.

9. In a quick take-up mechanism, the combination with a swinging member having a winding surface thereon; of a second swinging member pivoted on said first named member eccentric thereto; a flexible motion transmitting member connected to said second named member eccentric to the pivotal axis thereof; means for rocking said first named swinging member in a direction to exert pulling action on said flexible member; means for rocking said second named member with respect to said first named member during swinging movement of the first named member to effect a predetermined take-up of said flexible element with respect to said first named member; and means 'forpositively holding said second named member against rotation in one direction with respect to said first named member after said predetermined take-up movement has been effected.

10. In a power transmitting means, the combination with a pivoted swinging member adapted to receive an actuating force to swing the same about its pivot, said member having an elongated winding surface thereon; of a flexible element leading to the mechanism to be actuated; an arm connecting said flexible element to said swinging member to transmit motion from said swinging member to said flexible element when said member is swung on its pivot to wind said flexible element on said winding surface, said arm being pivoted at one end to said swinging member and connected at the other end to said flexible element; and means for swinging said arm on its pivot during part of the swinging movement of said member to advance said flexible element lengthwise with respect to said winding surface.

11. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes, the combination with a member swingingly supported on the car; of a pulling mechanism for swinging said member; a lever pivoted to said swinging member; motion transmitting means connected to said lever at a point remote from the pivot thereof; a fixed fulcrum abutment member for said lever engageable by said lever at a point closely adjacent the pivot thereof during the initial period of actuation of said swinging member through pulling action of said pulling mechanism to rock said lever on its pivot with respect to said swinging member in a direction to exert a pulling force on said motion transmitting means; and a fixed curved guideway concentric with the axis of swinging movement of said swinging member on which said lever bears during a further period of swinging movement of said swinging member to hold said lever against swinging movement in a reverse direction with respect to said swinging member.

12. In a quick take-up mechanism for hand brakes for cars, the combination with a flexible motion transmitting element; of a swinging guide member pivotally supported from the bottom of the car; a curved guideway on said member adapted to receive said flexible element; means for transmitting power to said swinging member to swing the latter in one direction; a quick take-up lever pivotally connected at its inner end to said member to move bodily with said member in said direction and having the flexible element connected to the outer end thereof; fixed guide means on the car adjacent the path of bodily movement of said lever and concentric with the axis of swinging movement of said member, said lever having abutment means thereon adapted to ride on said guide means to hold the lever against rocking pivotal movement with respect to said member in a direction reverse to the aforesaid direction; and fixed abutment means in the path of bodily advancing movement of said lever when said member is swung in the aforesaid direction engageable by said lever at a point adjacent its pivot to rock the lever to quickly take up slack in said flexible motion transmitting element and bring said abutments means of the lever into engagement with said guide means.

ROLAND J. OLANDER. 

